The Heat’s pace-pushing style this season has been a boon to the team’s 2023 first-round draft choice, but not so much for the 2022 first-rounder.
While Jaime Jaquez Jr. has thrived in a style that has lifted the Heat to second in the league in scoring with a week remaining in the season, Nikola Jovic said he has struggled to adjust to that system, and cites that as one reason for his dramatic regression.
Jovic’s 13-minute cameo in the second half of Saturday’s 152-136 win against Washington, which ended when he limped off with a sprained ankle, was just his second game in the Heat’s past 10, the other appearance lasting only 3:42 against Houston. “Nothing is broken,” Erik Spoelstra said after the ankle was scanned. “But it is a sprain.”
Before that, he missed 11 games with a back ailment, yet another setback in a season that has gone nothing like he expected.
Jovic, 22, was jubilant after signing a four-year, $62 million extension on Oct. 1, then started the opener against Orlando, shooting 2 for 6 in an unremarkable 23 minutes.
He never started again this season, and his game deteriorated in virtually every area. His scoring dropped from 10.7 last season to 7.3 this season. His shooting dipped from 45.6 to 36.6 percent.
His three-point shooting plunged from 37.1 to 26.9 percent, the worst in the league for any player with as many attempts (he’s 45 for 167).
His assists sank from 2.8 to 2.2 per game, while his turnovers rose from 1.3 to 1.4.
Meanwhile, his minutes per game plummeted from 25.1 in in 46 appearances (10 starts) last season to 17.2 in 47 games this season.
After practice on Friday, when he was the last one to leave the court, Jovic explains the regression this way:
“Last year was easy because of the offense we ran and the way we played, I kind of knew what my role was,” he said. “This year, with an offense where you don’t have calls and don’t really know where to be at what time, it’s hard for me because sometimes I play five [center], sometimes I play [four], sometimes I have the ball in my hands, sometimes I don’t.
“It’s hard because you never get similar looks. Last year, we ran a lot of plays and I kind of knew what looks I would get, so I could easily get more into my rhythm.”
While Jaquez has elevated his game playing that fast and spontaneous style, Jovic said it has left him somewhat confused.
“This year, you’ll be out [there] and you don’t really know which way the game is going to go,” he said.
But he made clear that it’s his job to adapt to the Heat’s new style and he takes responsibility for not doing that well enough. “It is on me, of course,” he said. “Next [season] and this year, too.”
Of Spoelstra’s move to a faster tempo this season, he said: “We’re trying a lot of stuff. Last four years, we’re basically the same team, with the same record, and I guess they’ve tried different things. Some stuff suits you better, some stuff doesn’t. I have to make it work.”
Despite the enormous dip in three-point shooting, he said there’s nothing wrong with his mechanics.
“I know I’m a better shooter,” he said. “It’s not a question. I’ve been shooting higher percentages since I came into the league. [Forty percent] two years ago, 37 last year. I’m sure I can get back to that. I’m sure that’s who I am.”
Then he again mentions how last year’s offensive approach created better shots for him.
“Last year, I kind of knew what shots I’m going to get – if it’s from Tyler [Herro] in pick and roll or Bam [Adebayo] from a post up. This year, it’s drive and kick and you’re not sure what position it’s going to be or if it’s going to kick out to you.”
What needs to change on his three-point shooting?
“Don’t force it,” he said. “A lot of times, I would not be sure if I’m going in the game. And when I get a chance, I would always think it’s going to be just a few minutes. So in a few minutes, I’m just trying to show something and I guess I’m doing it the wrong way and forcing some shots. With the amount of minutes I play, it’s hard not to think about shooting the ball more because you want to show what you can do more and you take bad shots.”
On the eve of the season opener, Jovic confided that he had a feeling he would be the player whose minutes would be most affected if the team struggled. And like clockwork, he was removed from the starting lineup after the opening loss to Orlando.
But Spoelstra has given him several chances to earn minutes since, and he has squandered most of them.
“It’s hard not to be on the court but at this moment this team thinks they have a better chance without me,” Jovic said. “I’ve just got to support the team and support the decision. It’s hard for them too because it’s the end of the season and I haven’t played for a while so it’s hard for them to try something new now. It is what it is.”
The Heat and Jovic must figure out a way to make it work, because he’s under contract longer than any other Heat player, set to earn $16.2 million next season, followed by annual incomes of $14.9 million, $15.1 million and $16.2 million in 2029-30.
Next season’s salary not only represents a big jump from his $4.4 million this season, but also consumes 10 percent of the Heat’s 2026-27 salary cap.
“I’ve got to work my way back hopefully,” he said.
Standings update
The Heat (41-37) entered Sunday 10th in the East, one half game behind No. 9 Orlando (which owns the tiebreaker against Miami), one game behind No. 8 Charlotte (which loses the tiebreaker to Miami) and two games behind No. 7 Philadelphia (which loses the tiebreaker to Miami). The Hornets (at Minnesota) and Magic (at New Orleans) were set to play Sunday evening.
Miami next plays on Tuesday night, the first of two consecutive games, over three days, in Toronto. Miami then plays at Washington on Friday before ending the regular season next Sunday at home against Atlanta.
This story was originally published April 5, 2026 at 9:52 AM.
Miami Herald
Barry Jackson has written for the Miami Herald since 1986 and has written the Florida Sports Buzz column since 2002.